Disney Concert Hall Photos Sought by AIA

I had some exciting news this week. I was contacted by the American Institute of Architects about using some of my photos of the Disney Concert Hall in downtown L.A. for a project they are doing at the moment called The Shape of America. The series of videos features famous landmark buildings of the United States. Hopefully my photos will end up in the Disney Concert Hall piece when it is done.

Walt Disney Concert Hall Photo Gallery

Walt Disney Hall Los Angeles - #6

I guess you could think of this part of the building to be like the curled up edges of the pages of a musical score.

Camera: Canon EOS 20D
Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/1250)
Aperture: f/7.1
Focal Length: 18 mm
ISO Speed: 400

Walt Disney Hall Los Angeles - #5

How did they manage to build a structure like this? It sure must be expensive to build something with curved surfaces like this. Of course, curves are a feature of Frank Gehry's architecture.


Camera: Canon EOS 20D
Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/1250)
Aperture: f/7.1
Focal Length: 25 mm
ISO Speed: 400

Walt Disney Hall Los Angeles - #4

This is the photo you saw in the previous post. I didn't boost the contrast in this one as I did in the high contrast image of the previous post.

Camera: Canon EOS 20D
Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/400)
Aperture: f/7.1
Focal Length: 18 mm
ISO Speed: 100

Walt Disney Hall Los Angeles - #3

No, not actually a night shot. I increased the contrast of this photo to give emphasis to the light and dark areas. Because of the very reflective nature of the stainless steel skin of the Disney Concert Hall it's a perfect photo for high contrast effects. Now it looks like a night shot in a Hollywood movie with the very dark blue sky. Photo #4 is the same photo without the high contrast adjustment.


Camera: Canon EOS 20D
Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/400)
Aperture: f/7.1
Focal Length: 18 mm
ISO Speed: 100

Walt Disney Hall Los Angeles - #2 RGB Negative

RGB negative looks pretty cool too, don't you think?

Walt Disney Concert Hall Los Angeles

Walt Disney Hall Los Angeles - #2 Color Negative

I just can't help sharing with you how these pictures of the Walt Disney Concert Hall look as color negatives.

Walt Disney Hall Los Angeles - #2

What a coincidence! Tonight's edition of Huell Howser's "Downtown" series on the LA PBS station KCET featured the Walt Disney Concert Hall. After watching this show, I now know I have to go back again, and not just for a concert. I had walked up some side stairs to a garden level to the left of the concert hall, but it happened to be the intermission for the concert that was taking place yesterday and the garden was filled with concert-goers enjoying the autumn sunshine. With my camera in tow I felt intrusive and didn't linger for very long, but having seen tonight's Huell Howser show I now realize that this is a public space, and not only that, but there are walkways built into the outer skin of the building that Frank Gehry intended for the public to use to clamber over over the exterior of the building! It was a fascinating show, and as I said, I'll have to go back. (Huell Howser's website)

If you live in the LA area and haven't yet been to see the concert hall, make a point of going. You don't even have to go for a concert to have a ton of fun. There are free tours that will take you all over the outside of the building, and much of the inside too, but probably not the concert hall itself unless you have a ticket to a show. It seems that during the season from October to June, there are concerts night and day.


Canon EOS 20D
Exposure: 0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture: f/20
Focal Length: 25 mm
ISO Speed: 200

Walt Disney Hall Los Angeles - #1

Designed by architect Frank Gehry, Walt Disney Concert Hall, is home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and is designed to be one of the most acoustically sophisticated concert halls in the world. The curved exterior of the building is constructed in stainless steel and makes for an impressive sight that captures the light in a fantastic display. This view is taken from across Grand Ave so that you can get an overall view of the building. Following photos will capture the building up close.

Canon EOS 20D
Exposure: 1/2500 sec
Aperture: f/4
Focal Length: 25 mm
ISO Speed: 200